Following a meeting of the world football governing executive committee meeting in Zurich, FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced that the principle of strict continental rotation currently in use will be abandoned for the 2018 contest, opening the way for an English bid. With Russia, China, Belgium-Netherlands, Australia, Mexico and the United States also potential bidders, the integrity and credibility of the competition is likely to come under intense scrutiny.
The English Football Association’s bid for the 2018 World Cup will have to negotiate strict new anti-corruption guidelines drawn up by FIFA Ethic’s Commission Chairman, Sebastian Coe, if it is to bring the tournament to England for the first time since 1966. Coe has been asked to draw up new regulations to govern the bidding process for the tournament, which promises to be the most hotly contested in football history following Monday’s decision by FIFA to open the contest to multiple bidders.
Coe accepted an invitation to head the ethics commission from Blatter this year, and despite criticism of a lack of action and failure to take retrospective action against Vice-President Jack Warner, the London 2012 chairman is determined to make his mark on the 2018 process.
Blatter said he expects Coe to deliver clear rules for the process. "We will try to be fair and transparent. As you already know we have had a discussion on this matter (with Coe). We have invited him… to oversee the bidding process, not only from the side of the FIFA executive but also on the bidders side and he will do that."
The 24 members of FIFA executive committee members will make the final decision, a responsibility that gives them huge power but can place them under significant pressure. Former executive committee member, Charlie Dempsey, abstained from the 2006 vote citing "intolerable pressure" from candidate cities, and FIFA wants to avoid a repeat.
Currently executive committee members are permitted to accept gifts and hospitality from bidding cities "in line with local custom", but the rules may be significantly tightened.
Leave Your Comments